Design of a Learner-Directed E-Learning Model

How can one create online educational material that support and motivate students in guiding their own learning and make meaningful instructional decisions? One of the main focuses on designing e-learning is about creating an environment where learners can actively assume control and take responsibility for their own learning with little or no guidance from the tutors. This research aims to discover a new way to design learning that would cater to individual choices and preferences. The idea goes beyond learner-centred design; it is about learner control and direction. As an option, learners should be able to choose to be in the driver’s seat, to direct their own learning journey. As a starting point, this research explores the use of two educational theories - Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) theory as the underpinning instructional design for a Learner-Directed Model to support students’ online learning in both domain knowledge and meta knowledge in the subject of computer programming. One unit material from an online Introduction to Java Programming course has been redesigned based on the proposed Learner-Directed Model for the experimental design study. The study involved a total of 35 participants divided randomly into one Experimental Group and one Control Group. They were assigned to either a Learner-Directed Model (Experimental Group) or a linear model (Control Group). Pre/post tests, survey, follow-up interview as well as log file analysis were instruments used for assessing students’ domain knowledge, meta knowledge and their attitudes for their overall learning experience. Learning experience is further broken down into perceived ease of use and user satisfaction; system usability; learner experience; and perceived controllability. The results of the study have revealed that there is statistically significant difference between the survey results for the Experimental Group and the Control Group. The Experimental Group reported a higher level of overall learning experience and better attitudes in general. However, there was no statistically significant difference existing between the two groups on the domain and meta level knowledge improvement. Based on these results, I have proposed further research directions and put forward a number of recommendations and suggestions on learner-directed e-learning design

Learning preferences and self-regulation : Design of a learner-directed e-learning model

International Conferences ASEA, DRBC and EL 2011, Held as Part of the Future Generation Information Technology Conference, FGIT 2011, in Conjunction with GDC 2011, Jeju Island, Korea, December 8-10, 2011. ProceedingsIn e-learning, questions concerned how one can create course material that motivate and support students in guiding their own learning have attracted an increasing number of research interests ranging from adaptive learning systems design to personal learning environments and learning styles/preferences theories. The main challenge of learning online remains how learners can accurately direct and regulate their own learning without the presence of tutors to provide instant feedback. Furthermore, learning a complex topic structured in various media and modes of delivery require learners to make certain instructional decisions concerning what to learn and how to go about their learning. In other words, learning requires learners to self-regulate their own learning[1]. Very often, learners have difficulty self-directing when topics are complex and unfamiliar. It is not always clear to the learners if their instructional decisions are optimal.[2] Research into adaptive e-learning systems has attempted to facilitate this process by providing recommendations, classifying learners into different preferred learning styles, or highlighting suggested learning paths[3]. However, system-initiated learning aid is just one way of supporting learners; a more holistic approach, we would argue, is to provide a simple, all-in-one interface that has a mix of delivery modes and self-regulation learning activities embedded in order to help individuals learn how to improve their learning process. The aim of this research is to explore how learners can self-direct and self-regulate their online learning both in terms of domain knowledge and meta knowledge in the subject of computer science. Two educational theories: experiential learning theory (ELT) and self-regulated learning (SRL) theory are used as the underpinning instructional design principle. To assess the usefulness of this approach, we plan to measure: changes in domain-knowledge; changes in meta-knowledge; learner satisfaction; perceived controllability; and system usability. In sum, this paper describes the research work being done on the initial development of the e-learning model, instructional design framework, research design as well as issues relating to the implementation of such approach